Live at the Lakes: Making a strong first impression

There was certainly no shortage of collegiate-level talent in the gym over the weekend. This year's Live at the Lakes event featured a vast array of teams from numerous states around the country, including Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, and Florida. We were at Kennedy High School in Bloomington simply taking it all in. Earlier this week we covered some of Minnesota's Division 1 prospects at the event, as well as some players who raised their game. Now here's our roundup of new players who made their mark.    Lyla Behnke – 2029 Forward, Spring Lake Park   The [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 2029 Hersch forward provided a strong first impression on our scouts over the weekend, making a case for a spot in the upcoming 2029 rankings. At 6'0 with a strong frame and ample length, Behnke (pictued above) is built like a college player. She's also bouncy and runs the floor with ease. Only an 8th grader, Lyla's game is all about the fundamentals right now. She boxes out on every possession, always has her hands up on defense, and makes very few mistakes on the floor. While she may not wow you with flashy passes or long-range threes, Behnke's attention to detail and her strong motor make her a reliable member of the Hersch squad. Over the winter she averaged 6.7 points and 6 rebounds per game for Spring Lake Park.   Morgan Arndt – 2029 Forward, Stewartville   A teammate of Behnke's, this [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] forward also impressed us at Live at the Lakes. Standing at 5-foot-10, Arndt plays like a versatile forward. She can work from the high post, as well as the perimeter. In terms of offense, Morgan definitely likes to attack the basket. She has an explosive first step that allows her to get past defenders and she generally finishes with a high degree of efficiency. The Stewartville 8th grader is also is highly adept at reading what the defense is giving her on offense and knows how to find the best shot available for her team. If Morgan gets in a bind on her way downhill, she uses her keen passing abilities to find the open teammate elsewhere on the floor. We will be sure to keep tabs on this prospect over the rest of the AAU season.   Gretchen Lanoue – 2028 Guard, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton   The [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] Wright guard gave a compelling performance on Saturday afternoon, even in the absence of their coach Dustin Wright, who was welcoming a new baby into the world. Lanoue was all over the floor keeping her team in a close contest with plain old hard work. She dove for every loose ball, fought for every rebound, and was a vocal cheerleader on the bench. Despite the close loss to Sanford Sports, Gretchen's performance was commendable. Over the course of the weekend the Tracy-Milroy-Balaton freshman scored 32 points in four games, including a 14-point performance against OSA National. Most of those points came from the paint, where Lanoue uses her strength and grit to put the ball in the hole.   [player_tooltip player_id='1246847' first='Greta' last='Layton'] – 2029 Guard, Big Lake   Over the weekend we wrote once again about 6'2 [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id='1233136' first='Korbin' last='Tanner'] and her tremendous potential. At Live at the Lakes we also got the chance to check out Korbin's teammate, [player_tooltip player_id='1246847' first='Greta' last='Layton']. The 5'9 guard abounds with length and athleticism, as well as an innate feel for the game that is a joy to watch. The Big Lake 8th grader is a natural scorer who can easily get downhill and cash in at the rim thanks to her tight ball handling and shifty footwork, or hit dagger threes from the outside. Greta led all scorers in the 14U division, amassing 63 points in four games, including a 21-point performance against Team Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Layton is yet another example of the treasure trove of young talent for West Central, which is based in Alexandria.    Jordyn Kube – 2029 Forward, Glencoe-Silver Lake   The Glencoe-Silver Lake 8th grader of the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] 2029 Levendoski squad was a pleasant surprise we saw at Live at the Lakes. At 6'1 Kube possesses substantial size and length for her age, as well as a tremendous amount of potential. She moves well, both laterally and in the open court, has a high-revving motor, as well as a feistiness to her game. Oftentimes in young players who have grown much taller than their peers we see an aversion to physicality. This is not at all the case for Jordyn, who is completely unafraid to take contact in the paint, on the glass, or while fighting for a loose ball. College coaches will certainly want to check out this young prospect.    [player_tooltip player_id='1257459' first='Amira' last='Williams'] – 2027 Guard/Forward, Faribault    This [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] 2027 Purfeerst guard/forward is a player we've been watching for a couple of weeks now, beginning at the AAU State Tournament. At 5-foot-10, Williams has a big frame and an incredibly muscular build. She's got a ton of strength and uses it well, particularly in rebounding and absorbing contact around the rim. Amira doesn't hesitate to attack the rim, where she finishes at a high rate, particularly on her dominant left side. While she is primarily a slasher with a killer spin move, Williams also won't turn down an open look from the three-point line. Over the winter Amira averaged a team-high 17.4 points per game, leading the Falcons to their first double-digit win season since 2017-18.

There was certainly no shortage of collegiate-level talent in the gym over the weekend. This year's Live at the Lakes event featured a vast array of teams from numerous states around the country, including Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, and Florida. We were at Kennedy High School in Bloomington simply taking it all in. Earlier this week we covered some of Minnesota's Division 1 prospects at the event, as well as some players who raised their game. Now here's our roundup of new players who made their mark.